Thursday, March 28, 2024

Spartans bury Badgers 42-28

October 27, 2001
Junior tailback T.J. Duckett breaks a tackle from Wisconsin defensive back Joey Boese on his way to a 43-yard touchdown run in the 3rd quarter of Saturday’s 42-28 win over the Badgers in Madison, Wisconsin. Duckett finished with 186 yards and 2 touchdowns on 23 carries. —

Madison, Wisc. - A starter’s leg broke, but MSU’s spirit held firm, as the Spartans rolled to an erratic 42-28 victory at Wisconsin on Saturday.

Sophomore cornerback Tyrell Dortch suffered the injury to his right leg while covering Badger wide receiver Lee Evans, who caught a 30-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jim Sorgi to give Wisconsin a 14-7 with about seven minutes remaining in the first half.

Dortch, a converted tailback, was trailing Evans when he planted his foot awkwardly in the end zone. An ambulance drove him away from the field and he is most likely out for the season.

Dortch underwent surgery immediately after the injury, and the team’s head orthopedic surgeon Herb Ross said he is out 10 to 12 weeks.

But the Spartans, who were trailing 14-7 at that point, didn’t let the setback affect their game and made every big play they needed in the second half to seal head coach Bobby Williams’ first Big Ten road win.

The first was In the third quarter’s opening minutes. Junior tailback T.J. Duckett closed a three-play, 61-yard drive with a 48-yard touchdown run - his longest this season - to take the lead for good, 21-14.

But he wasn’t finished. On MSU’s (4-2, 2-2 Big Ten) second drive of the half, Duckett responded again, with a 68-yard run to MSU’s 19-yard line. Duckett finished with 186 yards on 23 carries.

Senior tailback Little John Flowers then ran the ball 10 yards and after a 5-yard penalty, set up a 12-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Jeff Smoker to senior wide receiver Herb Haygood, leaving MSU in front at 28-14 with 3:03 left in the quarter.

But late in the quarter, after Sorgi left the game with a concussion, backup quarterback Matt Schabert tossed a 70-yard touchdown pass to Evans, bringing the Badgers back in it, 28-21.

Evans had three touchdown receptions in the game, tying a Wisconsin (4-5, 2-3) school record.

But when the Spartans got the ball back, they created another eye-opener of their own.

On first down, sophomore wide receiver Charles Rogers brought a 63-yard pass from Smoker to the Wisconsin 7-yard line. Roger finished with five catches for 206 yards.

After a false start penalty on second down, Smoker ran seven yards for the touchdown with 20 seconds left in the quarter to extend the shoot-out to 35-21.

And the impressive plays kept coming - at the 11:25 mark of the fourth quarter Smoker connected with Rogers again for an 87-yard touchdown pass to make it 41-21.

A 13-yard touchdown pass from Schabert to tight end Mark Anelli was Wisconsin’s final attempt at a late comeback.

Wisconsin set the tone early in the game after a 41-yard pass from quarterback Jim Sorgi to Evans on third down.

But the MSU defense stopped the Badgers and on the Spartan’s first series of the game, Smoker struggled to find consistency.

After he completed his first pass to Haygood for a 10-yard gain, cornerback Mike Echols picked him off, putting Wisconsin on their own 34-yard line.

Wisconsin’s first score of the day came two drives later, when Evans capped off a four play, 59-yard drive with a 42-yard touchdown pass from Sorgi at about the seven minute mark.

Evans broke a school record set in 1961 as he coasted to his sixth 100-yard receiving performance this season.

MSU countered on the next drive.

Smoker connected with senior tight end Chris Baker on a 31-yard pass to put the Spartans on the Wisconsin 29-yard line.

Flowers broke two tackles and bolted his way 15 yards to the Wisconsin 8-yard line.

A controversial Badger pass interference penalty on a Smoker pass intended to Rogers in the end zone, put the ball on the 2-yard line.

Duckett’s 1-yard punch in the end zone and a extra point by freshman kicker Dave Rayner tied the game at seven. Rayner converted six extra points in the game.

After Wisconsin took the 14-7 on the play that injured Dortch, the Spartans rallied and revitalized their offense.

With less than two minutes remaining in the second quarter, MSU struck with a 5-yard touchdown pass from Smoker to Rogers on third down.

The play marked one of Smoker’s four completed passes on the drive, including a 38-yard pass to Flowers off a fake reverse attempt to Haygood.

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